


Yusuke's Birthday 2021

by NoonoosKitchen



Series: Yusuke sandwiches [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Ficlet Collection, M/M, a little bit of fluff and a little bit of angst, additional tags at the beginning notes of each chapter, and lots of love for Yusuke of course
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28912626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoonoosKitchen/pseuds/NoonoosKitchen
Summary: Ficlect collection for Yusuke’s Birthday Week 2021Day 1:Complementary|Locked Away(Yusuke & Futaba)Day 2:Juxtaposition|Dead of Night(Ryukita)Day 3:Censorship|Beneath the Mask(Akekita)Day 4:Ephemera|Cloaked in Shadows(Shukita)Day 5:Illusion|Breaking and Entering(Yusuann)Day 6:Muse|Honour Among Thieves(Yusuharu)Day 7:Free day(Yusuke & Madarame)
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kitagawa Yusuke, Kitagawa Yusuke & Madarame Ichiryusai, Kitagawa Yusuke & Sakura Futaba, Kitagawa Yusuke/Kurusu Akira, Kitagawa Yusuke/Okumura Haru, Kitagawa Yusuke/Persona 5 Protagonist, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kitagawa Yusuke/Takamaki Ann
Series: Yusuke sandwiches [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1929076
Comments: 32
Kudos: 44
Collections: Yusuke's Birthday





	1. Locked Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: platonic yutaba, mentions of past abuse, introspective thoughts, start of a rocky friendship, Jojokes

Yusuke sits more comfortably on the undone bed, trying to settle down. He’s been asked to attend another small meet with Futaba to help her get out of her shell, and even though these encounters aren’t so bad when Akira’s around, today their leader had some things to take care of and has left them all alone. As soon as he left the room, Futaba turned to her computer and raised a wall of impenetrable silence, leaving Yusuke sitting behind her with nothing to do. They were supposed to talk, so the artist didn’t bring his sketchbook, and the stillness of it all is beginning to make him nervous. Trying to relax a bit, he allows his eyes to roam the room as the typing of the keyboard slowly induces him into a pensive state.

First, he looks at the fake stars embroidered on the curtain’s dark fabric, and he is suddenly reminded of the nights in which he wishfully looked outside the old window of the atelier, imagining that the blinking lights of the city were real stars. He’s always liked the celestial bodies, and he can’t recall how many times he had wished to escape his crumbling home and go see the real thing, up on top of a mountain, lying on the green grass and marvelling at the glowing dots in the sky like they always seem to do in movies. But he never could, trapped inside the prison his supposed father had crafted for him.

Seeing that Futaba also had a view of the stars inside her own prison brings him a strange sense of comfort, as if he now feels closer to her. Even though her imprisonment had been self-imposed, did she feel as lost and scared as he was? Despite the dark desire to perish they witnessed in her Palace, did she secretly wish she could escape the house, just like he did?

He peels his eyes away from the curtains and lets them wander once again. Well, Futaba does have a window to the outside world. Just by tapping the key words, her computer screen can show her whatever it is she wishes to see, though the only thing she can experience is the visual stimulus. Yusuke didn’t have the accuracy, having to go only with the whims and wild thoughts his mind provided, but he too plastered whatever he thought the outside world held in front of the canvas always present in front of him. He also heard many a tale from the other students, but he was never allowed the luxury to live things first-hand, not even when he could freely leave the house once he entered high school. There is no doubt that Futaba heard of weirder and more intriguing stories that he could ever have imagined, but their boundaries were pretty much the same.

His eyes leave the blinding brightness of the screen and land on the set of action figures on top of the low shelf. Yusuke extends one of his hands and grabs the one closest to him, dressed in blue clothes. Still in his reverie, the size and stiffness of the plastic humanoid remind him of the wooden mannequins he would sneak out of the art studio so that he could silently play with them under the futon. The only ‘toys’ he ever had. These move much more easily than those, and their colours are bright. Yusuke had wanted to paint them so that they resembled the ones displayed on the stores, but he knew that he’d have gotten scolded for it.

“HEY!! What do you think you’re doing, Inari?! Those things cost more than your paints, I can assure you!”

The sudden yell snaps him out of his thoughts, and he looks up to the angry-looking girl curled like a contortionist in her chair.

“Ugh, when’s Akira coming back? I really don’t like doing these one-on-one sessions…” She mutters, more to herself than to him.

“I apologise, I was just getting lost in memories of my past,” he replies, setting the Featherman figure back down, though placing it in a more pleasing position.

His statement seems to catch her attention, and she hides her face behind her pulled up knees, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. “About… Madarame?”

“Yes, mostly,” he says back without much sentiment in his voice.

Futaba doesn’t reply for a few solid seconds, her expression darkening a bit. She presses her lips tightly before she speaks again in a lowered voice. “Y-you’ll break them if you try to bend their arms that way… You need to gently pull from the side.”

Yusuke perks up at the unexpected permission to keep messing with her treasures. “From the side? Which side?”

“What do you mean ‘which side’? What other side is there?” She gets up, faking irritation, and sits next to him with a figure in hand. “Like this.”

“Ah, I see. These are manufactured with quite a bit of skill, contrary to my previous assumption,” he comments as he twists one of the arms upwards.

“Hey, don’t Jojo pose my children, we’re classy in this house,” Futaba says, brow furrowing.

Yusuke turns to look at her, confused again. “What is ‘Jojo posing’?”

Her eyes widen almost comically, offence clear on her face. “Ok, no, I don’t believe you’ve never seen any kind of Jojo. You are the art boy, you must have!”

She grabs her phone and runs a quick Yahoo search that follows a very long and detailed explanation of the plot of the famous series despite her claims of not being interested in it. She’s still at it when Akira returns, Morgana in toe. His bewilderment lasts only a fraction of a second before he just sits to the other side of Yusuke and joins him in hearing Futaba’s very excited monologue.


	2. Dead of Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: ryukita, two bros bonding over criminal acts, brief mentions of throwing up, Ryuji has a hetero crisis (again)

It’s terribly cold outside and Yusuke is shivering in his boots, the coat he’s wearing unable to fight the harsh weather. Ryuji’s been kind enough to buy him a hot drink from a vending machine, but even if it was scorching when he first grasped it, now it has lost its warmth and isn’t enough to warm up Yusuke’s hands. He decides to drink, but the effect of the hot beverage doesn't last for long either. Ryuji seems to be very aware of his discomfort, shooting worried glances his way every once in a while.

“Yo, you ok? I know it’s fucking cold, but believe me it will be worth it.”

“I… believe you,” Yusuke replies, not really believing him, but starting a discussion now would be meaningless. "Did we arrive?"

"Yeah, it's just behind this bush," the blond says, pushing said plant aside to reveal a big crack in the stone wall surrounding Inokashira park. "Here, I'll help you."

Yusuke approaches and with Ryuji's aid climbs the wall and jumps inside the facility. The blond goes right after him, moving much more easily, and jumps down right at his side. With a hand movement he instructs Yusuke to follow him and they venture further into the park.

Yusuke still doesn't know why he agreed to this. After hearing the rumours going around his high school about the feral cats coming to feed on the garbage and leftovers discarded in the park's bin, Ryuji was taken by the  _ need _ to see them with his own eyes. If all he wanted to see were oddly behaving cats Yusuke thought Morgana was more than enough, but he didn't dare say it and ruin the blond's mood.

Akira had declined the invitation as soon as it came his way. With his already existing record and being on probation, it would be bad if he was found sneaking around at night in public spaces. No one wanted to see their leader more hindered than he already was, so Ryuji accepted it with mild disappointment. Apparently the next person on his list was Yusuke. Somehow he had pulled a very moving and convincing monologue about how beautiful the full moon reflected on the lake would look, about the wonders of landscapes and the intricate views of the night, and even more surprising than his eloquent speech was the fact that Yusuke found himself giving in after some insistence.

A little blood-pumping adventure. It couldn't be so bad, could it?

Yusuke's not so convinced right now, he's starting to regret it pretty fast. Not only because of the cold, but because the low branches and wild vegetation are scratching his legs and shoulders, and he's feeling beyond uncomfortable. He follows Ryuji's not very silent steps, trusting that he knows where they're going. They move through the trees and follow the main path from afar and, surely enough, they arrive at a clearing from which the lake is visible.

"Over there," Ryuji mutters to him, pointing into the darkness.

Yusuke looks to where Ryuji's mentioning, and doesn't see much but pure black. People aren't supposed to visit at night, and as such there aren't many lamps or sources of light. He glances at the lake from only a few moments before he turns back to his friend.

"It's too dark, I can't see anything," he says, eyes glued to the floor and face sombre.

"Oh… sorry," Ryuji says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, maybe we can still see something cool? Let's go."

They continue for a bit longer, walking further in. They keep going until they reach one of the resting areas, full of trashcans and bins. They approach carefully, applying their phantom thief manoeuvres as best they can. Before they're able to get out of the tree line, they see something moving on the other side of the clearing.

Ryuji grabs Yusuke's arm, making him stop. "Wait, I saw something. Over there…"

They crouch, eyes squinting to try and sharpen their sight. A bush rustles, some leaves creak. They take another step, and another, silently, carefully…

"Who goes there?!?"

The gruff voice from a man forces them to sharply turn their heads to the side. They see a guard holding a flashlight walking in their direction.

"Shit, run run run!!" Ryuji says with a hushed voice and gritted teeth, bolting towards where they just came.

Yusuke does as told, moving on autopilot. Understandably, Ryuji’s much faster than him, so when he gets a few meters behind Ryuji reaches out and grabs Yusuke’s coat by the forearm to pull him after him. They're too preoccupied with running to notice if the guard is after them or not.

When they arrive at the wall from which they came in, they clumsily climb it back up and they keep running even when they're way down the street. They run, and run, and run. With the most imminent danger out of the way, Ryuji begins to laugh out loud, his arms wide open going up in the sky and howling as the last bit of adrenaline freely surges through his body.

Yusuke's not in such a good mood. He slouches on the first bench they find when they finally slow down, his lungs burning and legs shaking. The Metaverse seems to improve their physicality quite a bit, he bitterly discovers.

"That was fucking sick man! I haven't run like this in years!!" Ryuji exclaims in front of him. Even though his breath is laboured too, he has a childish kind of glee in his hazelnut eyes.

Yusuke finds himself transfixed looking at the freedom exuding from those honeyed eyes. Ryuji's voice is infused with excitement as he retells their escape with the same enthusiasm as one comments on a sports match, and Yusuke can't do anything but stare in awe. Growing up he was always told to hold back, to behave, to present himself as the perfect image of a well educated child. Those words had been hammered into him with such force that he found himself following the orders even when there was no one around to enforce them. It's so different from how Ryuji's behaving now - loud, pure, radiant. It’s something very new to Yusuke. People never tend to show their honesty with such ease, so he's equal parts taken aback and curious.

As much as he wants to keep looking, Yusuke suddenly feels a lurch in his stomach that yanks him back to reality. He feels like he’s about to get out the hot cocoa he drank at the beginning of the night, so he curls forward with a hand on his mouth, grunting. 

"W-wow, dude you alright?" Ryuji scurries to sit next to him, clearly worried.

Thankfully Yusuke manages to keep it down, swallowing the cocoa and vile. "I'm… ok," he says, face scrunching.

Ryuji seems relieved, and the momentary concern quickly vanishes from his face as the excitement from before returns. He ruffles his dyed hair, letting his head fall backwards on the bench and smiling widely.

"Man… This was awesome, we need to do it again," he says, looking up at the night sky.

Looking at his face, Yusuke feels blinded even with the lack of light. Ryuji's smile and soul are brighter than a summer's day, and the artist finds himself thinking he's glad he got to know him. As bad of a start they both had, Ryuji’s presence is comfortable, and warm enough to chase off the midnight cold.

"Yes, it was truly exhilarating," Yusuke replies with a smile.

He feels the sudden urge to show Ryuji his appreciation for their relationship, though he knows his words may not be comprehended. He’s been told time and time again that he speaks out of his age, so maybe he should use more colloquial vocabulary to get to Ryuji. He remembers him and Akira calling each other something like… 'dude', if he recalls correctly. He's heard some classmates use it as well, surely it is a term that males who are close with each other use.

"I had my doubts at first, but this turned out to be a wonderful experience. Thank you very much for inviting me, dude," Yusuke says with a sincere smile. 

Contrary to what he was expecting, Ryuji reacts gracing him with an incredulous face. "W-wha-? Ok, no, you can't say that, it sounds  _ weird _ ," he says with a grimace.

Yusuke's bewildered as well. "Strange? But I thought… I thought that was a term of endearment?" He replies, brow slightly furrowed in confusion as his head tilts to the side, eyes big and lost.

Now it's Ryuji's turn to be fascinated, Yusuke's expression being illegally cute. Who gave him the right to look like that? Who in their right mind thinks that 'dude' is an affectionate word? And why the hell are his cheeks getting hot? He's not blushing, is he? No, he's not blushing, definitely not.

"F-forget it, ok? Just stick to your hoity-toity stuff," the blond says, standing up in a quick movement. "L-let's go before it gets too late."

He begins to walk away without giving Yusuke a chance to refute. The artist's confusion only increases further, but he follows after his friend into the dead of the night, determined to learn the appropriate uses of the word ‘dude’.


	3. Censorship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: Akekita, aged-up characters, established relationship, domestic, tiny bit of angst

His body clean and still radiating the warmth from the shower, Yusuke slips into his favourite set of pyjamas, pleased when he feels the soft texture on his scented skin. He opens one of the drawers under the damp mirror and takes out the hair drier, plugging it in and getting rid of the lingering moisture clinging to his long, midnight blue locks. That done, he tidies the place up and exits, ready to get some food in his stomach now that he’s gotten himself comfortable.

Just as he’s heading for the kitchen, he walks past the living room and catches a glimpse of an odd protrusion peeking from the armrest of the sofa. He takes a few steps closer and sees that it is in fact a pair of feet covered in pristine white socks.

He sighs, immediately knowing what’s going on. He walks the rest of the way to the couch and looks down, finding a very tired-looking Goro lying on it, eyes closed and breathing slowly.

“Goro,” he calls to him with a soft voice, though he only hears a grunt as acknowledgment. Still Yusuke continues, leaning against the back of the couch. “Welcome home. Have you eaten dinner?”

“Not hungry…” Comes the detective's muffled voice, eyes still closed.

Yusuke slightly frowns at the shameless lie. It’s not like Goro isn’t hungry, he’s just too tired to bother eating. It’s not unusual for him to end up exhausted after a long day of work, but there isn’t much Yusuke can do about it. Being a celebrity, a fake one at that, is quite tiresome. The artist knows that well so that’s why he doesn’t push, not wanting to turn Goro’s exhaustion into anger. He’ll just play along for now.

“Even if you’re not hungry, you should at least take off your clothes and clean yourself before you go to rest for the day.”

Another grunt. Yusuke sighs again and without saying anything else he walks back to the bathroom he just left. He opens one of the cabinets and takes the products placed on the very first row, balancing a bottle of makeup remover, some cotton and basic skin care products on his hands.

All the necessary things now in his possession, he returns to the sofa and walks around it, going to take a seat next to the almost snoring detective. He opens the bottle, pouring a few drops of the product into a small cotton pad and proceeds to gently rub it against Goro’s skin to remove the makeup he’s been wearing since early in the morning. His boyfriend complains with a few whispers, but still lets him do it.

“This wouldn’t be a necessary step if you didn’t paint your face with lies every morning,” Yusuke tells him, following the line of his cheekbones with the pad. “You’re beautiful just as you are.”

Goro lets out an empty laugh at the statement. “Yeah, too bad the rest of the world doesn't agree with you,” he comments before releasing a deep sigh. 

Not knowing what else to say Yusuke keeps on with his task, focusing on removing the makeup from Goro’s left cheek first and then moving to the forehead, traveling down the nose and from there moving to the eyelids, patting them gingerly and slowly revealing the blemished skin beneath. The pigmented coverage helps with the façade Goro has to perform daily to keep the not truly loving eyes of his fans on him, and Yusuke couldn't despise it more. He admits that Goro’s true colours aren’t those people usually associate with virtuous heroes, but he isn’t a bad person deep down. He isn’t, but Goro thinks he is. And he thinks that other people would think that as well, and that’s why he’s so adamant of hiding himself.

The makeup all removed, Yusuke places the dirty cotton aside and picks up the next bottle. As he begins to spread it on his dearest’s face, his own transforms into a solemn expression.

“I hate that you hide your nature behind these products. Your bravery as a survivor shouldn’t be a cause of shame,” he murmurs as he finishes applying the thin layer of moisturising cream.

Goro scoffs at his words. He’s at a loss on how to confront Yusuke’s serious tone, so he decides to make a snarky remark instead. “Of course an artist would hate censorship.”

Against his own will, Yusuke smiles at that. Knowing very well just how far he can push the other, he decides to drop the topic for now and simply leans over to kiss the detective’s now uncovered lips. Goro gently kisses back, slightly pouting his lips so that he can seek the artist’s.

Still hovering over him, Yusuke momentarily closes his eyes to indulge in the sensation before whispering. “Were I to prepare something quick for you to eat, would you humour me?” He interprets the melodic hum Goro replies with as ‘sure’. “On one condition, though. I would appreciate it if you changed your clothes while I do that.”

Goro grunts, clearly displeased, but begins to slowly incorporate. Yusuke graces him with a small smile when he opens his eyes and he gets up as well, finally reaching the kitchen and opening the fridge as he hears Goro walking to their bedroom.

“Some udon would be great!” Yusuke hears the detective say in a raised voice.

Even though Goro can’t see him, the artist nods and gets to work. He was planning to do something easier, but he doesn’t mind investing a bit more time into the food if that means the other will eat. That means that Goro will have to wait for dinner though, and of course when Yusuke returns to the living room he is back on the sofa, in his pyjamas this time but soundly sleeping. The artist feels bad waking him up, but he does so nonetheless and they both enjoy a quiet meal while watching TV. When they finish, Goro walks directly to the bedroom as Yusuke goes to the kitchen, leaving the dirty dishes in the sink to wash in the morning. Next he goes to the front door to make sure it’s properly locked and goes to join the detective in bed, climbing to his side and spooning him against his chest to ensure he will have a pleasant and restful sleep.


	4. Ephemera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: shukita, aged-up characters, established relationship, mild angst but very fluffy, giving Yusuke the love he deserves

**[New message] Akira to Yusuke**

**Akira (11:08):** Are you awake? How’s the new piece going?

**Akira (11:08):** You’ve been working non-stop for a few days, maybe you should take a break. Let’s eat lunch together

Yusuke reads the message with squinted eyes, the lingering sleep forcing them shut despite his attempts to keep them open. He did stay up very late in hopes to finish the last piece for his new portfolio, but he had no success. Usually spending some time with his boyfriend and biggest source of inspiration helps him, so Akira’s plan is more than welcomed. Yusuke replies agreeing and finally gathers up the strength to get out of bed, taking wobbly steps to the bathroom.

It’s been around 3 years since he started dating Akira, and he has to admit, he didn’t expect it to last for so long. Yusuke perfectly knows he is… difficult, to put it mildly. Other people prefer to use the words “weird” or “freak”, though the more polite ones settle with “eccentric”. Akira’s the person who knows him best, so surely he’s more than aware of Yusuke’s ins and outs. Yet still, he hasn't only remained by the artist’s side, but he’s still interested in having a romantic relationship with him.

Yusuke adores Akira, with every single cell of his body, so of course he agreed with joy when his leader asked him out all those years back, though he assumed their relationship would end only a few months after it started. It wasn't unusual for people to approach him only because they were interested in his looks, but when he began to show his true self they backed away. As much as it pained Yusuke to think about it, he was sure it would be the same with Akira. He wasn’t even expecting his confession to begin with, thinking that something like love was way out of his grasp and just a concept to be admired from afar. That’s why Yusuke tried to live their relationship to the fullest, enjoying the rare opportunity and expecting Akira to leave without a moment's notice.

But he hasn’t. And Yusuke can’t help but be confused about it. Why, he wonders?

Freshly washed clothes on, the artist exits the university dorms as he ties his hair in a low ponytail. The walk to the station is less than 5 minutes, and he arrives just in time to catch a train headed towards Yongenjaya. It almost seems like fate, that one of the lines in the station nearest to him goes straight to Leblanc.

The old cafeteria hasn’t changed one bit, probably thanks to Sojiro’s insistence on keeping it that way. The image of Akira behind the counter is also very similar to the one from when they played as phantom vigilantes, though the former thief has grown a bit taller and his hair is now much shorter. He smiles when he sees Yusuke enter and goes to pick up his phone.

“Let me call Sojiro so that he comes to take my shift and we can go,” he tells the artist as he lets the phone dial.

Yusuke nods and takes a seat on one of the stools, looking at his boyfriend talk to his father. It may be because he’s deprived of sleep, or because of the gentle light that seeps through Leblanc’s glass door, but Akira looks little less than ethereal today. The bounce of his short, curly locks of hair, the way the glasses make his eyes shine, the pleasant shape of his face… Yusuke can’t help but stare at him like a fool.

He doesn’t realise the conversation has ended until Akira turns to him. “Ok, he’s coming. Ready to go?”

Still too caught up on his thoughts, Yusuke doesn’t hear the question so he decides to reply with what he has on his mind. “You look beautiful today.”

Akira’s round cheeks dust the lightest of pinks, his lips curling upwards to further enhance the image Yusuke’s been so mesmerised by. He’ll never get tired of looking at him.

“You stole my line, Fox,” Akira replies as he leans over the counter, cranking his neck so that he can leave a soft peck on Yusuke’s lips.

Sojiro shows up on the duration of the exchange. Once Akira has hung up his apron, the couple leaves the establishment and ventures into the neighbourhood holding hands. The place Akira has chosen for their lunch is apparently pretty close by, so he proposes to walk there instead of taking the train. They proceed in silence, letting the city’s buzzle fill the air, but Yusuke’s mind isn’t able to process the ruckus. He’s too preoccupied focusing on the sensation of Akira’s hand on his own, rough but warm, holding Yusuke’s with a firm grasp. It’s a simple action, though Yusuke finds it very intimate. Once again he wonders why Akira would want to share such a beautiful gesture with someone like him. As he lets himself be guided, he turns his head to the side and observes his partner, finding him looking happy. Akira seems to notice the artist’s intense stare so he too turns to him, gifting him with one of those wondrous smiles of his.

“Something wrong?” He asks, voice calm like gentle waves crashing against the shore.

Yusuke feels unworthy to witness an image such as this. The spiked and rusted chains of doubt tighten around the artist’s heart, and he finds himself speaking before he can stop his treacherous tongue.

“Why do you still want to date me?”

The eyes that were beaming a second ago widen, and that breathtaking smile disappears. Akira comes to a stop, looking at Yusuke with absolute bewilderment. 

“What… What do you mean?” He asks, his voice tainted with something similar to dread.

“We’ve been together for such a long time, and still… You seem content to be by my side. I don’t understand it,” Yusuke replies with honesty, though he doesn’t dare meet his eyes.

Akira’s breath catches, his increased heart rate pulsing in his ears. The rush of emotions is making him feel a bit dizzy, but he tries to talk anyways. “Why wouldn’t I be happy to be with you? I asked you out because that’s exactly what I wanted. You… You are one of the few people with whom I can be myself, you make me feel safe and cared for and I feel better just being next to you and knowing that you want to be with me too. There’s a giant list of things that I like about you that keeps growing every time we are together, but… But just being able to be with you is the most important of all.”

Yusuke seems moved, his pale cheeks even get coloured with a light crimson, though his eyes still show uncertainty. This is not good enough for Akira.

Determined, he lets go of that artist’s hand in order to cup his heating face and he tilts it downward, placing a gentle yet long kiss on his lips. With slow movements, he slightly pulls away and opens his eyes, fixing them on the other’s semi-closed ones.

“Yusuke... I love you, I really do," he whispers with a serious tone, one he hasn’t used much since they stopped their heist on the Metaverse.

This is the first time Akira’s used such heavy words, and Yusuke’s even more puzzled than before. But Akira’s not one prone to lying, never has been. So maybe... Maybe he does mean it, maybe this is something Yusuke can really hold onto.

“I love you as well. Very much so,” the artist replies with murmured and unsure words.

Akira smiles as he gently bumps his nose with his boyfriend’s. “I’m glad,” he says, lowering one of his hands so that he can take Yusuke’s again, squeezing it firmly. “I would also love to get some food in you, you look exhausted and I bet you haven't had a decent meal in a few days.” Not wanting to turn the moment into a lecture, he quickly adds, “Let’s visit the planetarium once we’re done eating, it’s been a while since we’ve been there.”

The proposition makes Yusuke chuckle, and he agrees with an eager nod. “Yes please, that sounds lovely.”

Akira smiles at him once again and gives him a final kiss, interlocking their fingers and pulling Yusuke along as they continue walking down the street.


	5. Breaking and Entering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: Yusuann, mentions of past abuse, everyone gets the dokis

“Here you go,” Boss says as he puts the cup of steaming coffee in front of him.

“Thank you very much,” replies Yusuke, setting his sketchbook to the side so that he can pay attention to the intricate aromas of the beverage.

Boss dismisses him with a wave of the hand and goes back to the kitchen to continue preparing the next batch of curry. He knows that every time the kids have a meeting in the attic they come back down stomachs empty and craving freshly made food, so he better start getting to work now. They all appreciate it, Yusuke especially. Even if the meeting is not to have fun and play since they need to discuss important points for their next move, Yusuke can indulge in Sojiro’s masteries during it. That is the reason why he came early to Leblanc, to enjoy a nice and hot drink before the rest of his rowdy friends come.

After taking a few sips of the coffee, he settles comfortably on the booth and picks up his sketchbook, opening the page he’s been working on. The calm and homey feeling of the establishment always manages to sooth his soul, and wants to plaster those feelings into paper. Warm and soft pastels, depicting nature swaying gently at the tune of a gush of wind… Unoriginal, he knows, but something that allows his brain to relax and just enjoy the movements of his hand against the paper. Maybe he could add some distant figures, mere silhouettes that merge into the scenery…

As he’s considering the thought, the door of Leblanc opens and his first teammate shows up. Ann enters and after a cheerful greeting and her order of coffee, she sits right across from Yusuke.

“Hi!” She repeats, smiling at him.

“Good afternoon,” Yusuke says back, once again forgetting about what he was working on. He looks at Ann, at her carefree and happy expression, and he can’t help but notice that her usual twin tails are gathered up in a high ponytail and she’s wearing a very tasteful outfit instead of her school uniform. The changes catch his attention. “I hope it’s not rude to ask, but how come you’re not wearing your uniform?”

“Ah, I had a photoshoot before this so I just came with what they made me wear. They said I could keep it, so,” she replies with a shrug, her smile widening when Boss gives her the coffee.

Yusuke nods in understanding, and wanting to let her enjoy the drink calmly, he tries to go back to working. Still, he doesn’t seem to be able to concentrate, and so he decides to turn his eyes back to his companion. He finds Ann with her head turned to the side, eyes glued on the Sayuri.

She notices Yusuke looking at her, and without taking her eyes away from the painting, she says, “It really is lovely, huh. I’m glad we’re able to see it the way she intended.”

Her words catch Yusuke off guard, and he too turns to look at his mother. “You’re right. It’s a magnificent piece.”

Even if he’s seen it countless times, has stared at it for hours, Yusuke still feels the same wave of warmth wash over him when he observes his mother’s tender expression. To think that his mentor had hidden this away for such a long time… What he did to get his dirty hands on this canvas…

Yusuke shakes his head, not wanting the negative thoughts to invade him. It’s over now, Madarame is no more and he has people who care for him surrounding him. Still, that memento from his mother will always remind him of that fateful day in which he discovered how deep his mentor’s corruption ran, the day in which his persona awakened.

Now that he thinks about it, in part it was Ann who helped set it all in motion. She first entered Yusuke’s life as a passing figure whose beauty awakened a sense of passion he had rarely experienced before. He remembers how ecstatic he felt when she agreed to the modelling, even though he knew that painting would be taken away. She didn’t seem satisfied with only having his artistic attention though, since she also snatched Yusuke’s entire life away when she broke into that dark storage room and revealed the Sayuris. That memory is terrifying, the way Madarame covered his mother’s painting with a dirty cloth and himself with even dirtier paint, but Ann revealed the unsavoury truth to him and forced him to acknowledge it. After the uncomfortable moment, she and her friends also helped Yusuke stand back up and fight against that bitter truth. It was unpleasant, truly a nightmare, but something that had to be done. He still hasn’t completely recovered from it, but he knows he still has time. After all, he has Ann and the rest at his side, and he won’t ever be able to express how grateful he is for it.

During his long recollection, his eyes have moved from Sayuri to Ann, his mind recreating the graceful movements of her body as she slashed and burned the paintings Madarame’s shadow transformed into. He continues to stare at her like he usually does, taking in her image. Of course this doesn’t go unnoticed by her, and she nervously moves on her seat under his intense gaze.

“C-come on, cut it out…” She murmurs, looking to the side.

“I apologise, it wasn’t my intention. I was just thinking… I still believe what I said when we first met was true. I believe that, once my technique has matured, I could be able to achieve a beauty that would rival the Sayuri with you as a model,” he says sincerely, drinking that last sip of his now mildly cold coffee.

When he sets the cup back down, he is met with a blushing Ann who looks at him with wide-open eyes. Her expression is short from awe inspiring, and Yusuke stumbles as he gets his sketchbook once more and opens it in a blank page, beginning to draw his muse immediately.


	6. Honour Among Thieves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: Yusuharu, established relationship (kinda), hurt/comfort

The first thing Yusuke felt towards Haru was kinship. Her upbringing was similar to his, so he felt comfortable with her company since she didn’t give him side looks when Yusuke did something unusual by the normal standards. His actions were always met with smiles, sometimes even laughter, and innocent curiosity. She was the embodiment of patience and care, something Yusuke wasn’t yet accustomed to experiencing and that awoke unknown feelings in his heart. Like the artist he prided himself to be, of course he tried to put those emotions into canvas.

When he did though, he started to reveal the hidden layers of his kind senior. Beneath all those appeasing and soft appearances there was a roaring fire, just like the one trapped inside Yusuke. Her anger and rage were sentiments very similar to the ones the artist felt all those years under Madarame, and he too had to bury them underneath layers of politeness and niceties. Haru was someone he deeply admired, and apparently, also a mirror of himself. A shifting mirror that reflected what Madarame had moulded him into, but with different interpretations. As much as Yusuke disliked the image, he found comfort in it too, the doubts and isolation often associated with this “eccentric behaviour” slowly melting when in the company of his fellow teammate.

Unfortunately, this melancholic mirror suddenly shattered when Haru’s father passed away. When the palace infiltration started Yusuke was determined to help her, to set her and all the employees of the company free from those similar draining clutches so similar to the ones of his own mentor. He had sworn, on his honour, that he would cleanse the world of the cruelty that also sullied his soul, and yet… and yet all those promises banished into thin air after that live broadcast, and all he had now was a trembling, sobbing Haru in his arms, not enough strength on her body to grasp Yusuke’s shirt.

The call was alarming. Haru didn’t even get a word in as she started to cry out of nowhere. From what the rest had told Yusuke, she hadn’t gone to class in quite a few days, though she appeared to be handling things well.

That was just a façade, of course. Yusuke hurried as fast as he could to the mansion where the recently orphaned girl resided, and found her curled into herself in a dark room. There was no anger, no elegance, just tears of pure sorrow. The artist was familiar with sorrow too, but not with one shaded in those colours. He felt helpless at the sight, and not knowing what to do, so he just embraced her and tried to console the sobbing girl with his touch.

Even if he had said something, he knew his empty words would’ve been lost in the silence, unable to provide any sort of relief. No one would expect him to know how to handle such a difficult situation, since he was still learning how to unravel his heart with those around him. Haru didn’t seem to expect it either, but she didn’t seem upset about it. All she wanted at the moment was a pair of arms to support her, and the artist was more than glad to give that to her.

Yusuke flushed her harder against his chest, and Haru sobbed louder. Maybe the only thing capable of healing her broken heart was time, time and gentleness.


	7. Free day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional tags: hurt no comfort, Yusuke’s childhood, mentions of suicide from a secondary character, child abuse and child neglect, Madarame’s awful, this is not nice and fluffy

There was a girl in Yusuke’s class that had the same birthday as him. He knew because she would always come to class happy that day, showing off the presents her parents gave her and talking about the cake she would eat later in the afternoon. Yusuke looked from his seat as all their other classmates congratulated her, but didn’t say anything to him. They probably didn’t know it was his birthday as well. Maybe his mentor didn’t know either, because he never congratulated or gave Yusuke any presents. Well, he did buy paints and brushes for him on a daily basis, but he never did anything special for his birthday. Yusuke knew that during birthdays people usually do special things, he saw it on TV shows and movies. With time, he grew used to not having it acknowledged.

That’s why he got so surprised when for his 8th birthday he came home from school and one of the older pupils, who had joined only a few months ago, called for him aside and placed a small mountain of cheap candy on his hands.

“Today’s your birthday, right Yusuke? Here,” she said, warmly smiling at him

Yusuke looked at the candy with wide eyes, almost speechless. “For me…?”

“Of course,” she smiled and patted his head, tucking some of his silky locks behind his ear. “I’ll get you cake next year, ok?”

Yusuke felt a sudden rush of excitement - Sweet treats were a rarity in the atelier. Too busy shoving the convenience store candy into his mouth, he simply replied with an eager nod.

His joyful reaction made her smile wider, though it quickly faded away. “You deserve better than this…” She said in a whisper as she looked at the excited boy enjoying his first ever birthday present.

For his next birthday, he got the same candy and she also promised she’d try to get cake next time. She made the same promise the following year, and the one after that too. Even though she never ended up buying the cake, Yusuke was happy enough with the candy. Even when he got much older, he still impatiently waited for his birthday candy.

This is the third year he’ll have to use his last bit of pocket money to buy the candy. When it happened, Madarame tried to explain it with gentle words. He said that the kind pupil that always gave him candy had passed away, but the rest of the atelier said she committed suicide. At the time Yusuke didn’t really understand what ‘suicide’ implied, but he was old enough to know what death was, and knew that he wasn’t going to see her ever again. After that terrible accident the rest of the pupils also began to leave, never to return, but Yusuke knew it was very different from what had happened to her. Slowly everyone abandoned that sorry excuse of a home until it was just him and his mentor.

Once school is done, Yusuke rushes to the store as calmly as he can and buys all the candy he can afford. He clutches the plastic bag against his chest and goes straight home, wanting to enjoy them in the comfort of his room. He is so eager to open the bag and start digging that he climbs up the stairs and fails to see the light coming from the studio down the corridor. Once in his room, he closes the sliding door behind him and turns on the hanging lightbulb that provides him with a very faint light. He sits on the stool set in front of an unfinished canvas, and without bothering to take his jacket off he begins to eat, chewing the hard candy and sighing in muted happiness as the sweet flavour covers his tongue.

He freezes on the spot when the door suddenly opens with a slam. Yusuke turns to find an angry Madarame looking down at him.

“Yusuke!! What are those manners, not greeting me when you come back home!! What do you think I am, a table lamp?! Is this is an appropriate behaviour to have?!”

Yusuke unconsciously curls into himself at the screams and bows his head. “S-sensei, I didn’t know you were home. I apologise for my rude behaviour, I didn’t mean to-” As he’s trying to appease his mentor's ire, his grip tightens on the plastic bag and one of the candies falls to the floor.

Of course, Madarame notices it. “What is this? Candy…?” He says, his voice filled with disdain and as cold as the wind blowing outside. “Is this in what you waste the little money I can spare? On unhealthy, good for nothing snacks..?” He adds in a controlled but raised tone, the scowl he’s making filling his aging face with wrinkles. “I don’t know what’s happening Yusuke, but… You’ve been very disobedient lately, and I’m afraid it needs to be fixed,” he explains as he extrands his lanky arm and grabs in a single fistful the candies the boy had just bought. Yusuke resists the urge to reach out after them, though his mouth does open in an attempt to explain himself. Madarame doesn’t have any of it. “Since you already ate this… sugar bombs, you won’t be hungry for dinner, right? We’ll have a talk tomorrow, young man. Now just stay in your room and go to bed once you finish that piece.”

And just with that, he exits and leaves Yusuke all alone. He stays still in his stool, fearing that he’ll come back to get in a few more words. Yusuke holds his breath for a painful 5 minutes, and when he’s sure Madarame has left for good, he lets his head fall. Maybe next year, he will get some candy again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this collection, and happy birthday my boy!
> 
> Is there a bitter taste left in your mouth? Maybe you want to check out the [ continuation of the story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29030277) <3


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